Infomercial: UMDs are 'built to self-destruct'

Posted Oct 3rd 2007 7:00AM by Andrew Yoon
Filed under: Peripherals, Video

If you're like the folks at Multimedia Recovery, your UMD discs are exploding all the time. Seriously. As this seller admits, they're "built to self-destruct." Our experience with the discs have been far less volatile -- and trust us, we've played a lot of PSP games. What could be the reasoning behind making such a bold claim?

Well, it's obvious. He wants to sell you something: so-called "indestructible" UMD casings. Sure, they're cheap (only $4, shipped!). But, as bickle from CAG puts best, it "looks like a solution in search of a problem."

Tags: multimedia-recovery, umd

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

10-03-2007 @ 8:03AM

txa1265 said...

I have to carry my PSP in a lock box after one UMD explosion took out my car window.

10-03-2007 @ 8:09AM

Kattleox said...

Why are they still worried about UMD's exploding? I was mistaken for a terrorist at my school when my downloaded copy of Crash Bandicoot exploded. It took a pretty good chunk-o-meat out of my right hip, too.

10-03-2007 @ 8:26AM

nesstee said...

...I digress I got about 14 games, all played to death and none have spontaneously combusted >_>, though one brilliant idea would be to NOT treat your beloved game like crap or better yet..NOT take a knife and screwdriver and have at it -_-

10-03-2007 @ 8:44AM

chudgoo said...

Wow. Fanboys indeed.

If you get in the habit (as I did) of keeping one UMD in the PSP and another one (or even two sometimes) in the neoprene sleeve that comes with the PSP you will eventually see the cases start to crack open.

Sure, they don't "explode" but they certainly do split. Metal Gear Ac!d 1/2 and comic are all this way. (I guess you can tell what I'm playing on the thing). I have TAPE holding the sides together. It's really embarrassing when you consider DS games can be stomped on without any damage. Oh, i've tried. ARGH. Advance Wars. ^_^

"looks like a solution in search of a problem."

Well, given that I have this problem, I'm glad someone was searching for the solution.

10-03-2007 @ 8:46AM

daniel-kun said...

He's actually right. Of course he exaggerated, but I have at least 3 UMD cases (out of my 20 or so) that are broken and that I needed to tape.
If I'd see replacement-cases at a retailer for 1€/piece, I'd definitely consider buying a few.
(In one case, I handed a game and my PSP to my older sister and she thought she would need to TAKE OUT the disc to put it in the PSP...)

10-03-2007 @ 8:56AM

XenoPhage said...

This seems to be a decent solution to a known problem. The only issue I have now is that this company seems suspect. Their site is poorly built and requires a credit card for ordering, despite the paypal logo. There are broken links and several instances where you're taken to administrative login screens. I would love to purchase a few of these to fix a couple of UMDs that broke, but I just don't trust the site yet..

Oh, and of course, the real kicker. The checkout page? Yeah, it's not encrypted. No https protection. No way I'm putting my CC info there...

10-03-2007 @ 9:09AM

Michael C. Sherrin said...

I do find the UMD case makes me nervous. It feels so flimsy and the disc just wobbles around in there. I mean sure it's hard to scratch, but instead dust and stuff can just get stuck in there and you can't get it out. WD40 can only do so much.

******

Michael C. Sherrin
http://www.prodigeek.com/

10-03-2007 @ 9:19AM

merc25 said...

the UMD casing was a problem only for first generation PSP games(i.e. launch year, circa 2005). Untold Legends was probably the worst perpetrator of this. The rest of UMD case breaking are cause my absolute morons(i.e. people thinking you had to remove the UMD from the casing, stepping on them, putting in a place they'll get crushed(i.e. the PSP soft colth casing). I have no sympathy for these fools, if you don't take care of your stuff and keep it out of harms way it'll break.
Yes chudgoo, you're a fucking idiot, congratulations.

10-03-2007 @ 9:57AM

steve-o said...

so thats why they banned playing psp on japanese planes huh................

10-03-2007 @ 10:04AM

fdisk_format said...

Untold Legends was the only one I've had go bad so far. It isn't broken completely, but it sure does push down on the disc when it spins in the PSP drive.

10-03-2007 @ 10:29AM

Gh3tt0 Child said...

I never heard of UMD's breaking before

10-03-2007 @ 10:42AM

theboi said...

i got a case it protects it just fine 8 of my disc witch is enough for me a little love and respect for your games goes along way

10-03-2007 @ 10:47AM

Mr. B Unique said...

i just ordered 5 of them
hopefully everything goes smooth
im actually kind of worried now :(

10-03-2007 @ 10:51AM

Juney said...

you guys at Ps3Fanboy just WANT to be put on CNN i could see the headline now "Innocent Fun Or Terrorist Threat?"

and then Jack Thompson will come riding in on his 15 yr old son and say Death To America!

10-03-2007 @ 11:06AM

russ said...

The UMD might as well be made as paper. Several of my disks have split down the middle along the white edging.

10-03-2007 @ 12:02PM

PSP_Amigo said...

umds for over 2 years here not a single crack. Unless you are a three year old and kind of retarded you most likely won't have issues with your umd's either. This video is just a way of them trying to scare people and get more business. Prolly funded by Nintendozzzzz

10-03-2007 @ 12:32PM

Erik said...

If this guy doesn't contact Blockbuster Video he is an idiot. I can't tell you how many times I tried to rent UMD games and they were busted. I tried several different stores in totally different states and I can usually find one busted UMD out of the 2-3 I am going to rent. My personal collection has no broken UMDs (first day PSP buyer) so I assume it's all about how you handle your collection.

10-03-2007 @ 12:58PM

Random1448 said...

@Erik

I know exactly what you mean, there are these dumb ass people who rent UMDs and try to take them out of the case, and them return them because the "don't work". then I rent game after game with the case busted. Remember UMDs don't kill UMDs, Stupid people kill UMDs.

10-03-2007 @ 3:03PM

jamma said...

"if for some reason your old case won't open, cut it open with a knife"

if your old case won't open, why the hell would you need to replace it?!?!?!?!?

10-03-2007 @ 4:32PM

Don said...

I've read quite a few cases of UMDs breaking open, or splitting. Just taking it out of the box, by pressing in on the side, if not careful, you could press on the clear plastic part & seperate it from the white frame.

By making the cover 2 halves instead of all those seperate parts, it does sound like a better solution. Official UMDs should have been like this to begin with. You'd think it'd be stronger & cheaper for Sony.

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